I looked from Dell to Dean and back to Dell. On the outside I looked calm and collected. But inside I was freaking out. Opening my mouth to explain to Dean, I snap it shut when I hear Dell’s voice. “It’s nothing Dean. I accidently dropped Belle’s picture and as I went to pick it up, the glass shards tore it up and I got mad. Tami came in to see if I was alright and I snapped at her.”

At his words I felt my heart sink and Lilly whimpered softly. Why isn’t he telling Dean the truth? Oh my goddess, he’s going to reject us.

He’s not Jubal, Tamar. I’m sure Cordell won’t reject us.

Then why didn’t he tell Dean? The way he spoke, it sounded like he was ashamed of what happened between us just now. Lilly sighs and closes the link. Dropping my eyes, I step away from Dell. “Excuse me Alpha. I…I need to go for a run. I won’t be long.” Slipping past Dean, I felt his hand on my shoulder but I just shrug it off. Running down the stairs, I go outside and shift behind a tree. Making sure to hide my scent completely, I grab my clothes gently between my teeth and head for my cave.

As I raced through the dark forest, I tried to keep my mind off of Dell. He won’t reject us silly.

What if he doesn’t want us Lilly? How can I live through another rejection? The first one almost killed us.

*sigh* I don’t know Tami. His mate just rejected him, that’s why he tore her picture up.

How do you know that?

His wolf, Roman, told me. You knew that she was pregnant with a human’s child, but Dell was willing to raise it as his own. Roman told me that Belle never told the human about the child. Right after we left, the child’s father moved back to town and ran into Belle. She doesn’t want the child to grow up not knowing its real father, and she won’t make Dell raise someone else’s child. So, when the human proposed to her she accepted, called Dell and rejected him. Letting out a growl, I run faster.

The waterfall was just ahead of me and I swiftly make my way into the cave. Shifting back, I quickly pull on my clothes and look around. Sitting down, I slip my feet into the small pool of water and lay back, looking at the stars through the little round hole above me. Hours pasted, but I didn’t move. I could hear Dean, Rivers and Dell calling to me through our link. In the forest, still a good distance from me, Greg’s pack was combing through the woods calling my name as well.  

Opening the link with Dean, I wait until his voice quieted down. Dean, I’m alright. I just lost track of time.

Where are you Tamar? Are you hurt? We’ll come get you if you’re hurt.

I’m fine Dean, I promise. I…I just needed some time alone.

I’m here if you ever need to talk about anything Tami.

I know, and thanks Dean. I’m on my way back now. I slowly get up and exit the cave. Walking back to the pack house, I stop just within the trees watching the wolves around the fire. Dean, Dell and Rivers stood beside Greg. Dell looked like he was deep in thought. Hey Dell. I watched as he perked up and looked around trying to find me.

Listen, about what happened earlier, can we forget it? Just until we get back home; we’ll talk about it then.

Yeah, sure. I answer softly. Sprinting to the house, I slip quietly through the door and make a beeline for my room. Locking the door behind me, I crawl into my bed and go to sleep. In the morning, I jumped out of bed and took a shower. My outfit for today consisted of a pair of Wranglers, a red checkered shirt and my favorite pair of jet black western boots. Dell had given them to me on my first birthday with the pack.

Leaving my hair hanging down, I make my way to the kitchen for some breakfast. I found Dean sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee. “Good morning Tami. Jubal and a few warriors of the Lotus Rock will be here shortly. I figured it would be better if they came to us so we could get the matter sorted faster.” Keeping quiet, I just nod my head as I look for the Coco Puffs. Letting out a long sigh when I couldn’t find any, I go to the fridge to see what was in there. Groaning, I grab a bottle of water and slowly sip on it.

The sound of tires turning onto the gravel driveway turns my head and I watch as three sedans pull into the yard. “Alpha, they’re here.”

“Good. Now, let’s get this over with. Hopefully, we can avoid any bloodshed here today, or any day for that matter.” Following him outside, I make sure to stand to his right instead of my normal place beside Dell. Dean just looked at me puzzled, but I just shook my head and he let it drop. But I knew that once we were alone, he’d question me about it.

The doors open and I stand at attention, all of my senses alert. “Alpha Jubal, thank you for coming so fast.” Dean spoke, his voice seeping with charm. “If you and Alpha Greg here will follow me, my Gamma and my Captain to Greg’s office to discuss this little spat between the two of you, I’m sure that we can work everything out peacefully.” Dean walked into the house followed by Greg, Dell, Jubal and then myself. I waited until Jubal was well ahead of me before following them inside.

Dean sat at Greg’s desk and the two alphas sat before him. “Now, I was informed by the Council that the two of you wished to start a war because the two of you believe that the other has in some hurt a Ms. Tamar Hale. Is that correct?” They both nod quickly. “So, Jubal, why is it your opinion that Greg here killed Ms. Hale?”

“I had heard that he had the best fighter in the states. And since my warriors needed training, I convinced him to let me bring several here to meet with her and see if she would be willing to train us. He let it slip out that she was Tamar Hale, my mate. And he promised that she would be here when we arrived. But when we got her, she was gone.”

“So you believe that he got rid of her to stop you from getting your men properly trained, yes?” Jubal nods, and I bit my lip from growling. Dean turns and looks at Greg. “Why do you think that Jubal here kidnapped Ms. Hale?”

“She didn’t know that he was coming here to ask her to train them. I knew what he had done to her, and yes, I did slip up and let him know that she was his ex-mate.” Jubal growls softly at this and I scoff. “The day he called to make sure she would be here to meet him once he arrived, I went up to tell her only to find her room empty and she missing. Tami and I were great friends, I would never hurt her. And I don’t believe that she would have left on her own. She was part of my pack.”

I just roll my eyes and I saw Dean glance at me. “If I prove both of you wrong; that she did leave your pack, Greg, of her free will and that she is alive, Jubal, will both of you drop this nonsense of a war between the two packs?”

“Yes sir.” They answer at the same time and Dell chuckles softly, earning him two hard glares from the alphas. “Alright, Captain, would you please come stand beside me?” I nod once and move beside him, this time standing beside Dell. “Gentlemen, may I present, alive and well, the Captain of my warriors, Tamar Ellen Hale.” Greg and Jubal stared at me shocked. Keeping my eyes focused on the wall behind them, I only glance at Greg.

“I left the Lost River pack of my own free will to join His Majesty’s service as a warrior. I did not in any way wish to meet Alpha Hill again, and I’m only here today because I do not wish for innocent blood to be shed because of me.” Greg looked a little hurt, but I could describe the look I saw in Jubal’s eyes. I no longer felt anything for him. “Sire,” Jubal spoke up looking at Dean, “I’d like to speak with Tamar privately for a minute please.”

What do you say Tami? Do you feel like speaking to him?

I’ll listen to what he has to say, but have Dell stay outside the door in case I need him.

Will do. “I don’t see anything wrong with that. Greg, Dell I believe we best let them talk.”

Tami, what are you doing?

Just stay outside the door in case I need you Dell. I end the link and face Jubal, waiting for him to speak. “I want to you come back to the pack with me Tamar.”

“And why is that Jubal? So you can rub the fact that you rejected and then chose someone else to take my rightful place every minute of my life?”

“I want you to come back to be my Beta Tamar. Just like your father would have wanted.” A laugh slips from my lips, but it was cold as ice. “My father knew that I would never be Beta, I figured that out years ago Jubal. That’s why he trained me for fifteen years to be a warrior, a fighter. And that’s what I became; a warrior for my King. You honestly think I’d give that up to come back to your pack to become your Beta?!” I laced my words thick with sarcasm.

His face becomes unreadable as he stares at me. “I was a young fool to reject you then Tamar. If you come back, I’ll leave Judy I swear. She’s not my mate…”

“She’s not your true mate, but she is your chosen mate and the mother of your children. She’s the Luna of your pack.” I heard Dell move closer to the door and I knew that he was listening to our conversation. “Every night for six years I felt it when you slept with another femme; every night until you marked her.

“Did you ever feel like someone had laid a red hot iron on your chest and was slowly pushing it in your body? Have you ever felt such pain in your heart you thought it would literally explode from your chest?! I can answer that for you, no you haven’t. And do you want to know why?

“My parents taught me better than that. But you see, when I accepted your rejection that day, I wasn’t really thinking. What I should have done was just walk away from you without accepting it. That way, when you finally marked Judy, I would have died. And you would have felt the mate bond between us as it died. But that would have been the weak way out Jubal, and if anything I’m not weak.” He stands up and moves towards me. Jubal raised his hand but slowly dropped it when I stepped back and growled at him.

“I’m sorry Tamar, so sorry for rejecting you then. But I swear if you come back to me, I’ll make it up to you. Please.” I stare at him and the room became deathly quiet. Dell was now standing against the door with his ear pressed against it. Sighing, I sit in Greg’s chair. “I want you to come back to us Tamar. We’re your family; you need us and you need me. I know you still love me.”

“Listen to me Jubal, because I’m only going to say this once. I might have loved you when I left, but during those first six years you managed to kill anything I could have ever felt for you. I had a nightly reminder that you didn’t love me. Secondly, I will never need you. And last of all, the day my parents died protecting your father was the day the Lotus Rock pack stopped being my family.

“Go back to your chosen mate and children Jubal. And never, ever bother me again.”  I was now on my feet and walking towards the door. When I heard Dell scrambling to get away before I reached it, I almost laughed. Pulling it opened, I turned and growled at Jubal before slamming it shut, hard enough to shake the house. “Gamma, please tell the King that I’m heading back tonight. I’ll see you when both of you get back.”

It didn’t take me long to pack. Walking to the front door, I give Greg a hug. “It really was good to see you again Greg. I’ll keep in touch. Be seeing ya.” With that, I walk out of the pack house and step into the taxi that was waiting on me. The driver was a member of Greg’s pack, so he didn’t charge me anything for the ride to the airport. In a matter of minutes, I managed to buy a ticket on a plane that was leaving for London tonight. As the plane took off, I looked out the window. Why did my life have to become so crazy all of a sudden?